Defying the Lycan King (Kira and Derek) novel Chapter 202

Chapter 202: Let Me Be Wrong

When Kai pushed open the doors to Derek’s private study, his internal survival instincts were screaming at maximum volume. He walked in, fully expecting to find a room reduced to splinters, but instead, he was greeted by something far more terrifying.

The king was lounging back in his chair, looking so calm and so composed, that it set every nerve in Kai’s body on edge.

Declan was pacing slowly around the room. When he caught sight of Kai, he stopped.

"Finally, you’re here," Declan said.

Kai worked hard to keep his face neutral, willing his hammering heart down to something like a normal rhythm. Never in his life had he imagined he could feel like a traitor in his own cousin’s presence. But here he was.

Because even though Jessica had explained why she and Kira had gone to meet Lydia, even though Kai understood the reason behind it, none of that changed the cold, hard facts.

They had drugged a royal security detail. That reckless little stunt played so perfectly into the treason narrative that it made the secret meeting look like a full-blown spy operation rather than a desperate search for family answers.

And he, Kai, had just helped smuggle a potential suspect out of Dravengard. He had gone behind his own king’s back to do it. But he’d had no choice. He had to protect Jessica. His only prayer now was that everything she’d told him was the truth.

"Yes, I am," Kai said, forcing a casual tone, and tried to relax his shoulders in his usual nonchalant fashion. "How may I help you angry people?"

"Where have you been?" Derek asked.

He didn’t shout. He didn’t need to. The low, scraping roughness in his voice was enough to send a chill straight down Kai’s spine.

And in Derek’s eyes, Kai could see the feral glint, the dark thing underneath that surfaced when the king was holding himself together by a thread. His beast was completely alert and looking for a target.

"I was with my mom," Kai lied smoothly, keeping his voice light as he took a few steps closer to the desk. "She was having a bit of a dramatic crisis about her wardrobe for an upcoming pack event. You know how she gets."

Derek exhaled slowly. Then he reached out and pushed a small velvet box across the desk toward him.

"I think I might finally have found out," he said, "who’s responsible for leaking all our plans."

Kai’s brows drew together. "What?" He looked from Derek, to Declan, and back again. "What do you mean?"

Derek rose to his feet, picked up the velvet box, and held it out to Kai.

"I hope to the goddess," he said quietly, "that I haven’t been a fool this entire time. Take this. I want you and your tech team to analyze it immediately. Find out everything I need to know about where this came from."

Kai nodded slowly and took the box from his cousin’s hand.

***

Later that evening, the wind howled across the high rooftop of the Dravengard fortress. Derek stood right at the edge of it, completely ignoring the freezing cold, and stared down at the glossy photographs Uncle Crane had proudly brought into the war council.

My loyalty lies with myself...

No. She’s not Sarah. She’s the one who’s going to break yours. The exact same way.

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